


late nights

by kongniverse



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Corporate, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Comedy, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-04-14 12:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14136462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kongniverse/pseuds/kongniverse
Summary: Late nights at the office ensues a series of ridiculousness from the nation's greatest lawyers, a traumatized Wonshik and a budding romance that started from a wrong email.





	1. Chapter 1

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Hongbin** <lee.hongbin@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: [Draft] Selling & Purchasing Agreement for Gong Chansik

 

Dear Hongbin,

Below I’ve attached the draft version of the Selling & Purchasing Agreement for your client Mr. Gong Chansik. Please review before 1:00PM today so I can finalize.

Regards,

**Lee Jaehwan, LL.B., M.Jur**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Lee Hongbin** <lee.hongbin@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: [Draft] Selling & Purchasing Agreement for Gong Chansik

 

Dear Mr. Lee,

Are you aware that you have attached me a screenshot of my latest Instagram post? Please do send me the correct document immediately for review to ensure efficiency of our office work hours.

Regards,

**Lee Hongbin, LL.B.,LL.M.**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Hongbin** <lee.hongbin@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: [Draft] Selling & Purchasing Agreement for Gong Chansik

 

Dear Hongbin,

I am aware and I duly apologize. Thank you for taking notice immediately.

I have attached the correct document for your reviewal, please send in by lunch time. After the agreement has been finalized please contact Mr. Gong for the signing of the agreement.

Regards,

**Lee Jaehwan, LL.B., M.Jur**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: HELP – URGENT

 

I REALLY JUST SENT HONGBIN A SCREENSHOT OF HIS LATEST INSTAGRAM POST INSTEAD OF THE S&P AGREEMENT FOR GONG CHANSIK

 

 **Lee Jaehwan, LL.B., M.Jur**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: dumbass

 

This is why I’ve told you multiple times to organize your documents and folders instead of saving stuff everywhere.

 

 **Han Sanghyuk, LL.B.**  
Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: please for my sake

 

TELL MY SECRETARY TO CANCEL ALL MY MEETINGS THAT INVOLVES HONGBIN IN IT

 

 **Lee Jaehwan, LL.B.,M.Jur**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: can we not use the office email system for personal conversation

 

Tell her yourself.

 

 **Han Sanghyuk, LL.B.**  
Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Jung Taekwoon** <jung.taekwoon@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Cha Hakyeon** <cha.hakyeon@jclaw.co.kr>, **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>, **Kim Wonshik** <kim.wonshik@jclaw.co.kr>, **Lee Hongbin** <lee.hongbin@jclaw.co.kr>, **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: Request for Legal Due Diligence Team

 

Dear All,

I have received a request for a legal due diligence on the acquisition of Choi Holdings by the Hwang Group that will be conducted by the end of this year. For the purpose of the task, I have formed the legal due diligence team that is comprised of the following associates:

  1. Jung Taekwoon, LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D. – Head of Due Diligence Group, Partner
  2. Cha Hakyeon, LL.B., LL.M.,Ph.D. – Partner
  3. Lee Jaehwan, LL.B., M.Jur – Senior Associate
  4. Lee Hongbin, LL.B., LL.M. – Senior Associate
  5. Kim Wonshik, LL.B., LL.M. – Associate
  6. Han Sanghyuk, LL.B. – Associate



Please find the legal due diligence proposal attached below and the original email from Choi Holdings. The first team meeting will be held tomorrow at 10 A.M.

Regards,

**Jung Taekwoon, LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D**.  
Partner  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

“There goes your chance of avoiding Hongbin hyung” Sanghyuk cackles as he sits himself on Jaehwan’s desk—sauntering in with an already loosened tie and rolled up sleeves. _It’s only 3 hours into the work day_. The older has his head in his hands, obviously pulling at his hairs from: (1) The wrong attachment to Hongbin, (2) Why did he even save that screenshot of Hongbin’s Instagram post on his work desktop and not just screenshot it on his phone (this is why he really should stay off social media on his work desktop) and (3) Taekwoon placing him in the same legal due diligence team as Hongbin.

“Hyukkie” whines Jaehwan. “What am I going to _do_?” He dramatically drops his head on his desk and wails, loud enough for the passing intern to jolt out of surprise from the sudden noise. “Now he knows I stalk his account.”

“I think he knows everyone stalks his account, hyung” replies Sanghyuk, poking Jaehwan’s head with the pen in his hand. “Plus, how are you even going to avoid him? You’re working on Mr. Gong’s Selling and Purchasing Agreement together, he’s the client of the _both_ of you.”

Jaehwan clicks his tongue in annoyance and shoves the younger off of his desk, worrying that Sanghyuk’s ass is going to leave an imprint on the stack of scribbled notes he just sat on. “Don’t you have work to do rather than hitting me with stone cold facts?”

“I already finished my presentation for the investors and I don’t have another meeting till after lunch time” says the younger quite proudly. Knowing Sanghyuk’s legal skills and speaking skills despite his short amount of time working as an associate, the presentation must’ve been a breeze for him—but Jaehwan, as his senior since both law school and now at the firm, was having none of that.

“Since you have nothing to do—” Jaehwan looks around his office and spots the files that he’s looking for in the cabinet. “Help me research the legal argument for this client. Deadline is 7PM tonight.” He says sternly as he places the thick case file in Sanghyuk’s hand and ushers the younger out of his office. “Don’t sulk you smarty pants” Jaehwan teases at Sanghyuk as he watches the younger walk back down the corridor and into his own cubicle. He hears a faint mocking tone back from Sanghyuk too, mocking the way Jaehwan had ordered him to do a research for Jaehwan’s client.

* * *

 

From: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: Legal Research on Estoppel - Inquiries  

 

Dear Mr. Lee,

Regarding Mr. Wen’s matter on Estoppel, I would like to inquire on a few matters:

  1. In regards to estoppel, would you prefer for me to research on equitable estoppel or legal estoppel?
  2. When will you stop making me do your dirty work? I know you don’t want to work on this client’s matter.



Regards,

 **Han Sanghyuk, LL.B.**  
Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

* * *

 

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jcrlaw.co.kr>

To: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jcrlaw.co.kr>

Subject: Legal Research on Estoppel – Inquires

 

Dear Sanghyuk,

In regards to your inquires in the previous email:

  1. I would prefer if you could research more into the equitable estoppel and research regarding the voluntary conduct that may harm the other party e.g. action, silence, acquiescence along with the related cases.
  2. Don’t be a little bitch



p.s. hyung loves you hyuk-ah ^3^

Regards,

 

 **Lee Jaehwan, LL.M., M.Jur**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners


	2. Chapter 2

Jaehwan gets sudden heart attacks now and then whenever Hongbin walks pass his office—not like Hongbin is even glancing at his general direction but ever since Jaehwan had accidentally sent him a screenshot of his Instagram post of a very shirtless Hongbin during his holiday in Cebu with another fellow co-worker, Kim Wonshik, the younger has somehow gotten colder. God, how much of a pervert could have he been perceived as. Or that could just be Jaehwan’s own personal brand of hyperbole.

Hongbin had handed in the finalized Selling and Purchasing Agreement to him like no big deal, emailing him all of the errors and clauses he reviewed and his lovely intern Sejeong came in shyly and places the agreement on Jaehwan’s desk with a sticky note that has all of Hongbin’s botched handwriting on it. Jaehwan had thought it was fine, he’s calmed down his nerves a little about the whole email mix up.

The thing about email and actually meeting the person directly holds a big difference. He’s had that experience with clients, with associates and paralegals from other firms. Despite having worked with Hongbin for the past eight years, he should know better that Hongbin would probably have ignored the whole thing and moved on with life.

“Hyuk-ah” Jaehwan calls Sanghyuk from his office phone, the whine in his voice already telling that Sanghyuk was in for a few hours of having his work disrupted. “Hyuk-ah, Hongbinnie is ignoring me”

“ _I wouldn’t be surprised_ ” replies Sanghyuk—man if this was any other junior associate Jaehwan would’ve given them an earful.

“Can’t I just ask Taekwoonie hyung to remove me from the due diligence team?” he pouts while trying to balance a fountain pen on his pursed lips. “I’ll delegate you to take over all my work, what do you say Sanghyukkie? So you get promoted to a senior associate like me quickly!” Sanghyuk, unopen to the idea, clicks his tongue and hangs up the phone.

Sanghyuk thought that he was finally free from Jaehwan’s nonsense cause he really needed to get back to preparing a memorandum for his next client—but Jaehwan decided that Sanghyuk won’t have things the way he wants and parks his pretty butt on Sanghyuk’s desk and _demands_. “Why did you hang up on me?!”

“Hyung, this memorandum _really_ needs to be done” Sanghyuk begs. The other associates are all staring at him from their own respective cubicles and Sanghyuk really wants Jaehwan to go back to his own office. He already gets a reputation for being chummy with Jaehwan just because they were law school senior and junior. “I’m unaware of this field so I really have to do my research”

Jaehwan takes one look at Sanghyuk’s computer screen and laughs. “IPR law? That’s easy, Hyukkie. What don’t you know about IPR law? Come here and ask your hyungie” Easy for Jaehwan to say when his brain absorbs everything like a sponge.

“Hyung” the younger whines and Jaehwan is starting to get intrusive, snatching Sanghyuk’s mouse away from him and hijacking his entire keyboard and types away. “ _Hyung_! I’m going to get in trouble if they see you do my work!” His long arms now flailing and he tries to shove Jaehwan away from his cubicle but Jaehwan’s ass seems to be glued tightly on his desk no matter how much Sanghyuk pulls at him.

A cough from behind them makes Jaehwan finally look up from Sanghyuk’s desktop and its Hongbin, a stack of printed contracts in their arms and Jaehwan stiffens.

“Mr. Lee it’s time for the meeting with Mr. Gong Chansik,” Hongbin smiles at him. “Want to get going?”

Jaehwan blushes and gets off from Sanghyuk’s desk immediately and pretends to fix himself up. “Y-yes let’s get going” He stutters, rushing off to his office to get his blazer while Hongbin coolly walks behind him. _Wow he’s so good looking_ Sanghyuk says in his head as he watches Hongbin walk away and snickers when he sees Jaehwan rush out of his office, a flustered mess trying to button up his blazer and collect himself before he enters the meeting room. Sanghyuk takes a breath of relief that Jaehwan is finally gone which means that he can get back to doing his work. A few seconds into reading the messy notes that Jaehwan had forcefully written on his computer, he curses a little at how spot on all of Jaehwan’s points are and makes a mental note to himself to up his game if he ever wants to make it far as a lawyer.

\---

“Mr. Lee” Hongbin calls for him after the client leaves the room. “Have you—”

“I’m sorry!” Jaehwan immediately drops to his knees and apologizes to Hongbin, the younger surprised and definitely flustered at the sudden gesture. “I didn’t mean to send you that over email, I was so careless and—” Jaehwan goes off in an apologetic ramble that leaves Hongbin frozen in his spot.

“Uh, Jaehwan hyung” Hongbin tries to interrupt him. “I, mean,”

“I promise you that I will not be looking at your Instagram account during work hours, I absolutely promise this on my soul. On Sanghyuk’s soul too if it will add to the strength of my oath!”

Jaehwan’s last sentence made Hongbin burst into laughter and the younger grabs at the edge of the table to steady himself from laughing too much. Jaehwan slowly lifts his head up to look up at Hongbin who’s turned red and teary eyed and he tilts his head a little in confusion.

“Hyung, I honestly don’t care that you accidentally sent me that” Hongbin wipes a tear welling in his eye away with his index finger. “And I’m rather sad that you won’t be stalking my Instagram account actually.”

Jaehwan gets up from the floor and dusts his pants off—damn he can’t believe he actually got down on the floor in his expensive suit.

“I was going to ask you if you’ve read the legal due diligence proposal that Taekwoonie hyung sent, the meeting is tomorrow morning after all.”

Oh. _Oh_. Jaehwan finally collects himself after his outburst—he promises to bury himself in a hole after he leaves the office today. So Hongbin, as he had rationally expected before his hyperbole took over, actually did not care for his email after all. If Sanghyuk had seen this, he definitely wouldn’t let Sanghyuk live. He might’ve even taken a video of it.

“No, I haven’t had the chance to actually. I will after this” Jaehwan replies, looking away from Hongbin.

“Well, better read up before the meeting then” Hongbin gathers all of his files and moves to leave the meeting room. “See you tomorrow morning, hyung”

 

* * *

 

From: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: Request for Assistance

 

so turns out hongbinnie is ok with me stalking his ig acc but i have a few requests i need you to do for me:

  * bury me in a hole after work today
  * dig me up again before the meeting tmrw
  * read the legal due diligence proposal for me and text me the details



thanks

 

 **Lee Jaehwan, LL.B., M.Jur.**  
Senior Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners

 

* * *

 

 

From: **Han Sanghyuk** <han.sanghyuk@jclaw.co.kr>

To: **Lee Jaehwan** <lee.jaehwan@jclaw.co.kr>

Subject: RE: Request for Assistance

 

No thank you

 

 **Han Sanghyuk, LL.B**.  
Associate  
Jung, Cha  & Partners


	3. Chapter 3

Jaehwan didn’t get much sleep the night before—the anxiety of the first legal due diligence team meeting and trying to read the proposal and _understand_ everything haunting his mind. Stupid Taekwoon and his stupidly overcomplicated language. He reaches the office at 8:45AM, Sanghyuk already at his cubicle and the proposal printed with numerous amounts of highlighters, bookmarks and scribbles all over it and he unlocks his office and flops onto his chair and groans, guttural, no care on who hears his frustration.

He logs into his computer, the first thing he goes to is onto his web browser and opens Instagram, completely ignoring the 23 emails in his inbox that has come in overnight. He really should stop looking at his social media when he’s at work. He starts to go through his feed, high school friend getting married, favourite female celebrity that he likes updated a workout picture, another high school friend getting married, college friend off on vacation, same old same old he thinks. He hovers over to the stories section and sees that Sanghyuk’s Instagram story is the first in his list—an update of his adorable new puppy as usual—and then to another co-worker who updated about a new café right by their office—Jaehwan goes through it all pretty quickly until he’s opening Wonshik’s feed and it’s a video of Hongbin, him and Hongbin at Hongbin’s apartment it seems, and this catches Jaehwan’s interest immediately.

Jaehwan who had been slouching in his chair sits up right, leaning on his elbow to look closer at the screen as he replays the video over and over again. Hongbin with rolled up sleeves in his dress shirt that Jaehwan remembers he was wearing yesterday, his tie loosened and collar undone, laughing and calling Wonshik annoying as they prepare their takeout in Hongbin’s kitchen. _Seems fun_ Jaehwan comments in his head, not realizing that he’s pouting a little as he watches Hongbin laugh over and over again and also Sanghyuk who is standing behind him and looking over at his screen.

“You look like you’re enjoying what you’re seeing there hyung” Sanghyuk comments and Jaehwan jumps in his seat, he bangs his knee on the desk pretty hard and quickly closes the browser to hide his crime.

“ _Sanghyuk_ —how long have you been standing there?” hisses Jaehwan through gritted teeth. The younger only grins at him and ruffles his hyung’s perfectly styled hair which earns him a slap and another sulky pout.

“I came here to get you for the meeting but seems like you were occupied” Sanghyuk teases. Jaehwan can’t help fight the blush that’s growing on his cheeks as he remembers the way Hongbin was laughing in Wonshik’s latest Instagram update and how so drawn he was by Hongbin’s deep voice, Hongbin’s smile, Hongbin’s _everything_ in that whole 10 second video, even when his deep voice was used to call Kim Wonshik annoying.   

Jaehwan gets up from his seat and gives his hair one last fixing before he follows Sanghyuk out the door and pinches Sanghyuk’s waist so the younger winces a little for teasing him. “From now on you are banned from my office”.

\---

“After perusing the proposal and all the documents sent in relation to the acquisition, I found that Choi Holdings have several subsidiaries and branches. Would it be necessary for us to conduct on-site visits for these locations?” Hongbin, amidst the meeting, asks Taekwoon. “What does the Hwang Group want to do regarding those subsidiaries? Seeing as Choi Holdings aren’t a major shareholder in what—40% of the subsidiaries.”

The atmosphere of the meeting is professional—Jaehwan and Sanghyuk had stopped their teasing the moment Taekwoon and Hakyeon entered the room, it still made them nervous whenever they had to sit in a meeting with the partners of the firm and Jaehwan was a senior associate, for Christ’s sake, he and Hakyeon are even tennis buddies on the weekend but there’s still something about Hakyeon in a professional setting that intimidated the crap out of him. Sanghyuk beside him was as stiff as cardboard—only dared to look straight at whoever was talking. Jaehwan smiled at the younger, reminding himself of back when he graduated from being a trainee to becoming the firm’s official associate and his first meeting with the big lawyers and the partners. He was an absolute train wreck too.

“As usual, your findings are detailed Hongbin” Taekwoon smiles at the younger. It’s no secret that Taekwoon has always had a soft spot for Hongbin—top of his trainee batch, top graduate of his law school—one of the highly requested corporate and commercial lawyers as well and Hongbin and Taekwoon are from the same alma mater too. Rumour even has it that Taekwoon has a not so secret crush on Hongbin. Jaehwan wonders if a human being can be so perfect.

“We can always conduct full audits on the subsidiaries that Choi Holdings have more than 50% control of and for the others, maybe partial audits” Hakyeon answers Hongbin’s question. “But that will be more work on us, but we’ll manage, won’t we?” and Hakyeon smiles at them, warm, like a reassuring hug. Hongbin, Jaehwan, Wonshik and Sanghyuk all nod in unison.

“Any more questions?” Taekwoon looks at the entire room before he ends the meeting. Sanghyuk braves himself to speak after sitting there stone cold for so long even Jaehwan feels his shoulder freezing.

“Ah—hyung—I mean, Mr. Jung—”

“Hyung is fine, Sanghyukkie” Taekwoon smiles at the younger. Sanghyuk nods and takes another breath before he continues.

“I found that Choi Holdings also has a branch office overseas, in Japan and in Singapore. Should we also arrange this audit with their domestic lawyers?” asks Sanghyuk. Hakyeon and Hongbin look over the proposal again and both nod as they spot which matter Sanghyuk meant.

“I guess you will be in charge of the correspondence with the Japanese and Singaporean lawyers then Sanghyukkie, we’ll pair you up with the translation team, alright? Good job” Taekwoon gives the younger a quick thumbs up. Sanghyuk visibly happy as he receives a positive response from Taekwoon. “Well then, our first meeting is over. Be prepared to work late for this audit, alright? We will go over the documents after office hours end today.”  

\---

“Hyung I’m so happy, I was so nervous” Sanghyuk blabs to Jaehwan as they make their way down to the cafeteria. “I was seriously about to combust in that meeting.”

“I know, I sat next to you” Jaehwan snickers. Jaehwan enjoys the moments where he feels like Sanghyuk’s hyung, teasing him, feeling proud of him whenever he gets excited over a job well done. Lately he felt like Sanghyuk has been babying too much and telling him how to get his life together. “I’m proud of you kiddo—Taekwoonie hyung isn’t that scary, see?”

They reach the floor where their office’s cafeteria is, crowded, as per lunch time usual. There’s a spot left next to Hongbin and Wonshik—Jaehwan hesitates for a moment but Sanghyuk already makes way to where the two are seated.

“Bin hyung can we sit here? Are these seats taken?” Sanghyuk asks Hongbin. Hongbin is mid chewing on his salad to look up at the younger and pats the seat to let Sanghyuk and Jaehwan sit down at their table. Wonshik also scoots his tray over to give space to Jaehwan.

“What are you eating hyung? That looks tasty” Jaehwan’s brain short circuits at how comfortable Sanghyuk is with Hongbin while Jaehwan is still rather awkward from his incident with Hongbin yesterday.

“Hyuk-ah, I’m trying to eat” Hongbin responds with a mouth still full of food—like an adorable squirrel—and shoos the younger to go get his own tray of food before all the food is gone and taken by employees of the other corporations. Sanghyuk clicks his tongue and goes with Jaehwan to go get their food.

Jaehwan is torn between roasted chicken with veggies and pasta—weighing his life and health decisions as he squints at the special today menu board. He’s trying to eat healthier, honest to god, but Jaehwan is a comfort eater, he eats when he’s sad, happy and angry and he dies on the inside whenever he feels a slight bulge when he has to button up his suit to meet a client. He’s really trying.

“I think Hongbin hyung was having the roasted chicken with veggies and the garden salad, why is he so healthy?” Sanghyuk whines as he orders the exact same thing as Hongbin. A healthy person complaining about another healthy person. “Ah hyung, should I get panacotta or tiramisu?”

“Jaehwannie!” someone calls Jaehwan from behind and it’s Hakyeon, waving at him from right at the end of the line.

“Oh, hyung” Jaehwan greets him and Sanghyuk goes straight into stiff mode again at the presence of Hakyeon. “I rarely see you go down here, I thought you always bring your own lunch?”

“I wanted to buy some banana milk” Hakyeon coos as he holds up two bottles of his favourite banana milk brand and places it on Jaehwan’s tray. “Can I join in with you? I don’t wanna wait in line~” Jaehwan lets out a ‘tsk’ and takes Hakyeon’s milk with him to the cashier as the older cheers on happily.

“Sanghyukkie right?” Sanghyuk sort of wished Hakyeon wouldn’t start conversation with him. He’s absolutely nervous around all the senior staff and especially the partners. “You did great in today’s meeting. I look forward to working with you” Hakyeon says softly, kindly and gives Sanghyuk a pat on the back and he sort of squeezes it a little. “You don’t need to be so tense around me, Taekwoonie or the other senior staff. We’re all family at the firm.”

“O-okay, _hyung_ ” Sanghyuk replies as he goes to pay for his food. Jaehwan hands over the banana milk to Hakyeon and Hakyeon hops along back to the elevators, not before he waves off super excitedly at both Jaehwan and Sanghyuk.

“Hakyeon hyung, he’s really, something” Jaehwan says as he sets his tray down at the table. Wonshik and Hongbin all look at him and raise an eyebrow.

“Hakyeon hyung was here?” asks Hongbin, chewing on the chopsticks. “I thought he was against going down to the cafeteria cause of the long lines.”

“I know, he came down just to place two bottles of banana milk on my tray so he doesn’t have to wait in line and then left” Jaehwan rolls his eyes as he digs into his food. “That guy, he really—”

“His love for banana milk is really something” Hongbin agrees with him. Wonshik and Sanghyuk only stare at each other in confusion. They haven’t worked at the firm long enough to know any of the partners as well as Hongbin and Jaehwan.

“I think it’s cute” Wonshik finally says, picturing Hakyeon holding his bottle of banana milk in his head. “I mean, it’s such a child-like taste. Cute. Very adorable”

“You’ll think it’s cute until you’ve become his banana milk shuttle” Hongbin says back and Jaehwan playfully acts like he just got chills down his spine. “Honest to god back in my associate days he would purposely go over to my desk just to remind me to buy banana milk after I finish lunch for him”

“Honestly, I also got sick of it after like three weeks” Jaehwan chimes in. “One time I actually just bought him a box of it just to save myself from buying it every day. The cafeteria lady looked at me like I had an addiction. And you know what the scariest part is? He put a post it on my desk three days later saying he finished the whole box.”

Hongbin guffaws and so does Jaehwan, reminiscing the days of them being victims of Hakyeon’s obsession with banana milk and his awkwardness from earlier long gone. Sanghyuk suddenly re-evaluated his motives and reasoning of when he first applied as an associate at this firm.


	4. Chapter 4

The first set of documents arrive at Jaehwan’s desk at around 5:43PM. It’s a known custom by now that due diligence works only really starts when its nearing the end of the work day—god knows why—which is also why associates are always dreading whenever they get roped into a due diligence project despite the insanely good pay. Jaehwan only side eyes the documents on his desk, the legal assistants must’ve placed it there when Jaehwan was off in his weekly internal meeting with the rest of his division.

His secretary bids him farewell for the day at 6:12PM after doing one last convenience store run for all of Jaehwan’s favourite snacks in preparation of his first day on the due diligence job. She knows his fixation for sweet food and she knows well that Jaehwan’s brain will remain occupied if he keeps his mouth occupied too (by munching on food) and its anything to keep him focused just so things are over and done with. His office floor starts to empty out one by one—Hongbin’s secretary says good bye as he walks pass Jaehwan’s office, the interns also leave the office after neatly placing the case files in the cabinets.

Sanghyuk has moved to the board room with Taekwoon, Taekwoon going down from his office upstairs to whisk the younger with him and Jaehwan see’s him talking with one of the correspondences from Choi Holdings and overseeing the documents. Jaehwan catches the stiffness in Sanghyuk’s face and body and tries to hold back his laughter.

“Looks like your secretary bought you enough food for the week” Hongbin pops into Jaehwan’s office, sauntering in with his sleeves rolled up to reveal toned arms and loosened tie—just like in the Instagram story that Jaehwan was just ogling over this morning before the meeting. _This_ is the kind of thing that Jaehwan is never prepared for in life. Super attractive co-workers that make Jaehwan question his sanity and sexuality.

“You know me and my sweets” replies Jaehwan, leaning back in his office chair to stretch a little. “This is my first aid kit”

“I think we’re paired up for the due diligence this time—which documents do you have?” Hongbin takes a step closer towards Jaehwan’s desk to go through the stack of files, untouched even by Jaehwan himself because he hasn’t gathered himself emotionally yet to start. “Do you want to read through the Articles of Association together?”

Paired up with Hongbin. Jaehwan definitely likes the sound of that. But there’s a part of Jaehwan that wonders why he isn’t with Wonshik instead, maybe since Wonshik’s expertise isn’t really something that’s needed to be paired with Hongbin’s expertise—maybe Hakyeon needed him more—maybe not, but this arrangement works fine with Jaehwan. Killing two birds with one stone, is it?

“Sure but, I kind of want to have dinner first. Can’t work on an empty stomach” Jaehwan says. “Have you had dinner yet? Do you want to have dinner?” Jaehwan is on a _roll_. First being paired up with Hongbin and now boldly asking him to dinner? This is the wildest Jaehwan has ever been.

“Let’s eat first then” Hongbin agrees and Jaehwan lights up, mainly cause he gets to eat cause food is always good and second of all he’s eating with Hongbin. He really tries to hide his excitement but thankfully he thinks Hongbin just thinks he’s happy about the eating part and not at the fact that they get to eat together.

\---

“Hyungnim, how should I start approaching the foreign lawyers?” Sanghyuk shyly asks Taekwoon who’s cross checking all of the delivered documents. Taekwoon doesn’t look up at him, eyes busy scanning the stack of documents and Sanghyuk is amazed (and frightened maybe just a little), watching as his boss slash partner for this project jotting down on a tiny piece of paper on the division of documents, amazed at how Taekwoon figures everything out so quickly—a reason why Taekwoon is a partner of one of the largest firms in Seoul and Sanghyuk but a measly associate, feeling average at best.

“You can start by drafting the email— _ah_ ” Taekwoon hisses suddenly, retracting his finger quickly and into his mouth. “I got a paper cut” He sulks a little, lips pursed into a pout while still sucking his wounded finger.

“I have—a bandage at my desk, if you want?” Sanghyuk offers, watching Taekwoon who had gone from completely serious bigshot lawyer to a pouty, sulky man suckling on his paper cut finger and whining about how much it stings. Taekwoon nods at Sanghyuk and he jogs quickly to his desk drawers, taking out a bandage and going back to the board room.

Taekwoon holds out his finger to Sanghyuk, still a little pouty from gashing it against the stack of documents. Sanghyuk timidly puts on the bandage on Taekwoon’s finger, his heart racing and he wonders why even this little thing such as placing a bandage on Taekwoon’s finger is making him so nervous.

“Thank you, Sanghyukkie” he says once Sanghyuk is done with the bandage and gives the younger a little smile and ruffles his hair with his non-injured hand. Sanghyuk relaxes a little. Just a little.

\---

“Hakyeon hyungnim” Wonshik greets as he enters Hakyeon’s office upstairs. Clutched against his chest is the financial reports for Choi Holdings that he and Hakyeon have to review—Hakyeon in the middle of lighting up a scented candle as Wonshik comes through the door.

“Ah, Wonshikkie, come in, come in” Hakyeon ushers him to take a seat across his desk. “Sorry, I was having dinner in here and I need the smell to get out. Have you had dinner?”

As usual, Hakyeon is such a chatterbox, an excellent conversationalist as he’d say, always so comfortable reaching out and opening up to just anyone.

“I think Hongbinnie and Jaehwannie just went out to grab some dinner. You should’ve joined them.” Hakyeon says two thousand things per minute and Wonshik can’t even begin to bring up their task to do for tonight. “Ah, I have some snacks if you want too?”

“I’m good hyung, I already had dinner. I’m dieting” Wonshik replies. Hakyeon shoots him a surprised look.

“What’s a guy with a body like yours doing dieting?” Hakyeon asks, grabbing the financial reports that Wonshik has placed on his desk and starts flipping through the pages.

Wonshik blushes a little at the question, not knowing exactly how to answer since Hakyeon did kind of indirectly compliment him on his figure and he hasn’t talked with Hakyeon before outside of anything work related. Thankfully before Wonshik has a chance to answer Hakyeon’s question, Hakyeon has moved onto the financial reports and Wonshik breathes a sigh of relief.

\---

Jaehwan and Hongbin make their way across the street, Jaehwan noticing every single male and female who turn their heads just to simply stare at Hongbin and it makes him feel just a tiny bit insecure. They enter the restaurant—the whiff of spices and broth makes Jaehwan’s stomach growl and Hongbin laughs when he hears it.

“Eat a lot hyung so you can work hard tonight” teases Hongbin as he gives Jaehwan the menu to look at. Jaehwan gives him a thumbs up as his eyes goes to scan the menu, putting more deliberation into choosing his dinner than any other important adult life decisions he’s ever made.

Jaehwan looks up to Hongbin, who hasn’t seem to flip away from the starters and healthy section of the menu. “I’m going to be so mad if you order a salad” Jaehwan pouts at the younger. “No one shall be healthy and mindful of their wellbeing under my watch!”

Hongbin laughs so wide, eyes turned into little moons and his teeth all full in view, and god how does Hongbin still looked so gorgeous even like this, Jaehwan wonders. “Okay hyung, just for you, I’ll order us a lot of samgyeopsal”

**Author's Note:**

> back at it again with my love for lawyers vixx and silly office romance <3
> 
> this will be updated slowly... as i also fight to graduate from law school a.ka. thesis writing and work as a lawyer at a lawfirm that will be greatly reflected in this lmaoo.
> 
> anyway,  
> kudos and comments are always appreciated! <333


End file.
